Colorado State's Jake Levin finds his fit

Senior makes the most of every situation

By Mike Brohard Sports Editor

Posted:
08/19/2013 07:12:08 PM MDT

Jake Levin was on his way to becoming a starting fullback at Colorado State until the position disappeared under Jim McElwain. The senior from Legacy High School has still made himself a valuable member of the Rams.
(STEVE STONER)

FORT COLLINS - Be proud of what you put on film. Make yourself relevant.

These are staples Jim McElwain brought to the Colorado State football program, words to live by for those who want to suit up and play for the Rams.

Simple enough, really. But what if you don't have a position?

To Jake Levin, that was a minor detail. The Legacy High School product never let things like not having a scholarship, rehabbing from a knee injury or having the position you played be eliminated worry him.

"Really, I never did," said Levin, heading into his senior year with the Rams. "I knew I was going to be a fullback/H-back position. It's something you need on goal line and short yardage and stuff like that, so I knew there would be a place for me to fit in. I was never too worried about it."

McElwain's one-back system didn't have a need for a fullback, and the coach still jokes he doesn't know what a fullback does. Still, he had a roster full of them, Levin being arguably the best of the bunch, and they had to find a place to fit. For all of them, Joe Brown and Joe McKay included, tight end was the place, though Brown also worked in as a running back in 2012.

There were subtle changes, but also parts of the position they could relate to in the grand scheme of things. And all Levin has done is continue to make himself relevant, as a backup to starters Crockett Gillmore and Kivon Cartwright, as well as being a prime contributor on special teams.

McElwain calls them glue guys.

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"When you put a team together, everybody has a role," McElwain explained. "He's a guy who has accepted his role. The guys really respect him because of his toughness, the way he practices and the things he gives us. You can't have enough of those guys. There's only a certain amount of true starters, now the other guys have to find how am I going to help this team. In his case, Jake's just done an outstanding job of being selfless."

If that means getting just a few plays on offense, he'll make the most of them. He had nine receptions as a sophomore for 110 yards and a touchdown; in 2012, he had two for 4 yards. If it means heading out to the field for special teams, he wants to be on each unit.

Just give him the chance, point him the way and he'll do his best.

He's a football player. That's all he knows, and that attitude allowed him to take care of the scholarship issue years ago.

"You've just got to do it," Levin said. "If you love football - and I love it more than anything in the world - just to get out there on the field and play anything is a good feeling. The relevancy, just getting out there and running down on a kickoff, running down and blocking somebody on kickoff return, all those different spots, or playing short-yardage football, any time on the field is just amazing."

It's an effort that doesn't go unnoticed, either. Gillmore's brother, Austin, was in the same spot as Levin, both fighting it out to be a starter at fullback in Steve Fairchild's last year. He witnessed them learn to be tight ends and appreciates the dedication to task Levin put into the change.

"We know what he's going to do. If he goes in there and you're in his way, he's going to knock you out," Crockett said. "That's just his mentality. It doesn't matter how big you are, he's going to put his head on you, he's going to run his feet and he's going to do his job. When he's next to you, you know you're taken care of. You're not second-guessing anything.

"It's a lot of respect from me to him. He's a great kid, and he works his (butt) off."

Human nature being what it is, Levin admits to pondering what could have been, him being a starter heading into his senior year. It was a fleeting moment, as the present has him just as excited.

He likes the offense now in place and believes the players are on hand to make it explosive and productive. Even bowl-game worthy.

A new year is at hand, and Levin would like to create a lasting memory.

"Especially senior year. You're going out and you're going to do anything," he said. "I'm going to do anything in my power to help us get to a bowl game, no matter what it is."